Ted Cruz calls Democrats' push for gun control 'offensive'

Ted Cruz.
(Image credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Following the Senate Democrats' 15-hour filibuster in demand of a vote on gun control legislation, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) took to the floor Thursday to slam such moves as being a "sideshow."

"This is not a gun control issue," Cruz said. "This is a terrorism issue."

Cruz added that it was "offensive to see Democrat after Democrat prattling on about the NRA … And it is offensive to play political games with the Constitutional rights of American citizens instead of getting serious about keeping this country safe."

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Cruz encouraged the Senate to take up the Expatriate Terrorist Act, which would revoke U.S. citizenship from anyone fighting for or supporting the Islamic State, as well as legislation that would prevent refugees from countries controlled by ISIS or al Qaeda from entering the United States.

While the Orlando shooter indeed pledged loyalty to ISIS, he also expressed solidarity with the Boston Marathon bombers, as well as for Hezbollah and al Nusra front, which are enemies of ISIS. The FBI is still working to understand "what role anti-gay bigotry may have played" in the shooting. Jeva Lange

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Jeva Lange

Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.